Supporting structure for porcelain enameled pans



Aug'iz, 3941. FELLNER' 2,251,991

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR PORCELAIN ENAMELED PANS Filed Jan. 25, 1940 /4 H6. 5' INVENTOR.

ALPHONSE E. FELLNER ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 12, 1941 SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR PORCELAIN ENAMELED PANS Alphonse E. .Feilner, Belleville, 111., assignor t0 Porcelain Structures, Inc, Bclleville, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 25, 1940, Serial No. 315,518

OFF! CE 2 Claims.

and due to their ornamental effect, they add materially to the attractive appearance of the building.

One of the problems in connection with the use of individual pans is to quickly and efficiently secure them in position on. the wall and to preserve the linear continuity of said pans, both vertically and horizontally. Another difiiculty is to so secure said pans to a wall that each pan may, if desired, be removed quickly and conveniently and replaced, if damaged, or transported to another location and again mounted in position on the wall of the structure.

My present invention is an improvement upon the structure shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,171,221, issued August 29, 1939, to Albert C. Maus. In the Maus patent the latching clips and supporting devices are spaced apart from each other in fixed positions, such spacing usually being done Where the track rails of the structure are formed. Thus, if the slots in the side walls of the pans which are mounted on said tracks do not conform to the spacing of the clips and supporting devices, considerable time is lost in elongating said slots, with the great possibility of damaging the porcelain enameled pan when enlarging said slots. By my present arrangement both the clips and supporting devices may be secured to the track rail after said rail has been attached to the outer surface of the wall of the building, so that the slotted pans will accurately register with said clips and supporting devices.

My enameled pans are preferably made up in stock sizes of 24 x 24",12 x 24", and 6" x 24". I have found that this assortment of sizes provides for practically every kind of space on which my pans are to be used. Since I employ Weatherproof packing in the joints between the pans, inclemency of the weather does not affect the structure upon which my pans are mounted.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, to show the latching clip.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5, Fig.1.

On the wall A of a building structure I mount a series of tracks I in horizontal alinement with each other and spaced apart the required'distance to accommodate the height of the pan-structure hereinafter to be described. It will beunderstood that all the horizontal rows of pans are generally of the same height. Each line of track 1 is secured to the wall A by screws 2. Each track i is formed with the central longitudinal portion 3 extending outwardly from the inner members 4, which members have flanges 5 integrally formed therewith, through which flanges the securing screws 2 are passed, said flanges being appropriately apertured to accommodate said screws. I also provide a horizontally disposed series of apertures 6 in the central longitudinal portion 3, particularly as shown in Fig. 1.

Individual securing devices I are formed, preferably of sheet metal, each of which may be secured to the track I through any of the perforations 6 by means of screws 3. Each of the securing devices I has an upturned lip 9 integrally formed therewith. Thelips 9 pass through the two slots IE! in the porcelain enameled pans ll, said slots being in an inturned side edge l2 of said pans. Said inturned side edge i2 is cut away, as shown at it, to provide for clearance of the securing devices I and the heads of the screws 8 when said pan is positioned on said securing devices I. By this means the lower portion of each pan I! is held securely in place on the track I. Also, by this arrangement the securing devices 1 may be so mounted on the track I as to register with the slots iii in the pans II.

The upper inturned side edge Id of each pan ll has a single elongated slot as shown at 15 (Fig. 4). The purpose of the slot i5 is to receive the swinging, latching clip 16 which is removably and pivotally mounted on the track I by a screw 11, which passes through one of the perforations 6 provided therefor in the track I. It will be understood that there are preferably two securing devices i and two slots iii and one latching clip [6 and one slot 15 holding each pan ll. Each pan ll is first mounted on the securing devices 7, the lips 9 of which enter the slots in, and the top of the pan is pressed toward the wall A. Then the latching clip 16 is swung downwardly to engage in the slot 115 in the upper inturned side edge [4 of the pan II, as indicated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 1. By this means each pan is securely held in place against the tracks I.

When it is desired to remove the pan, the latching clip It can be operated by a screwdriver, or the like, and rotated out of engagement with the slot i5. Thus individual pans may at any time be removed or replaced by a very simple process. By mounting the securing devices 1 and latching clip HS in any of the perforations 6, said tongues and latching clips are caused to register with the slots I!) in the inturned side edge l2 and the slot H5 in the upper, inturned side edge i i of the pan ll. A multiplicity of latching clips [5 and securing devices I are attached to the track rail l and are used in sufiicient quantity so that each pan will be held in straight, permanent position. The latching clips l5 and securing devices '5 are preferably alternated, as shown in Fig. 1; that is to say, there are usually two securing devices 1 for supporting the bottom of the pan H on the track rail I, and one latching clip it for securing the upper part of the pan 1 I on said rail. As stated, however, the number of latching clips and supporting devices may be increased if found desirable.

It will be noted that I have provided an attractive, enameled, porcelain pan which can be cheaply and efficiently secured to the wall of a building, and one which can be removed from the structure without likelihood of mutilation of the pan structure. The pan structure may, by manipulating the latching clip IE5, be quickly and conveniently used, and transported to another location, and by virtue of the horizontal row of perforations 6 the latching clips l6 and securing devices I may be made to conform to the elongated slots i9 and 15 in the inturned side edges l2 and 14 of the pans H. I may apply in the joints between the pans a weatherproof packing material obtainable on the market, but as this does not constitute any part of my invention I have not illustrated it in the drawing.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a series of sheet metal pans adapted to be decorated on one surface thereof, inturned, slotted side edges on said pans, a series of tracks longitudinally alined with each other and having a horizontal row of perforations along the upper sides of the tracks, supporting devices removably supported in various perforations on said tracks, the supporting devices entering slots in one of the side edges of said pans for supporting said pans, and a swinging latching clip removably supported on said tracks for entering a slot in another of the side edges of said pans for securely holding said pans in position on said tracks.

2. In a device of the character described, a series of sheet metal pans adapted to be decorated on one surface thereof, inturned, slotted side edges on said pans, a series of tracks longitudinally alined with each other, each track having a row of perforations along its upper edge, and a plurality of spaced supporting devices removably mounted in various perforations on said tracks the supporting devices entering slots in one of the side edges of said pans for supporting said pans, and a swinging latching clip for entering a slot in another of the side edges of said pans for securely holding said pans in position on said tracks.

ALPHONSE E. FELLNER. 

